George Bancroft The Office Of The People By: Brooke Betts

Historical Context  Born on October 3, 1800 in Worcester, Massachusetts.  Educated at Phillips Exter Academy, Exeter, Harvard University, Heidelberg, Gottingen, and Berlin.  Served as U.S. Secretary of the Navy by President Polk  Supporter of the Jackonian Democracy  Established the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in  Best known for his writing for History of the United States.  Intended Audience is the Adelphi Society of Williamstown College.

Main Points  Truth is one….  It never contradicts itself: One truth cannot contradict another truth. Truth is a bond of union. But error not only contradicts truth, but itself also, so that there may be many errors, and each at variance with the rest. Truth is a necessity, an element of harmony; error as necessarily an element of discord. Thus there can be no continuing universal judgement but a right one.  The best government rests on the people….  It exists only through individuality.  They must rest upon mind; not wealth, not brute force, the sum of the moral intelligence of the community should rule the state.  The measure of the progress of the civilization is the progress of the people.  The world can only advance through the culture of the moral and intellectual powers of the people.  “People can make right, but people can discern right”  Is this always true??  Do people always do what is right?

Main Points  Public happiness is the true object of legislation….  This can be done only by the masses of mankind awakening to the knowledge and the care of their own interests.  The world can only advance through the culture of the moral and intellectual powers of the people.  “Philosophy has sometimes forgotten God; a great people never did.”  All of mans work can be changed, but the spirit of the truth is incorruptible.  Self Reliant Capitalism  “The Duty of America is to secure the culture and happiness of the masses by their reliance on themselves.

Historical Significance  Jefferson and Bancroft both believed in the people.  Bancroft believed that instead of picking leaders, let democracy lead and it will elect the people for us.  Truth is the essential factor the progress of the people, without truth there is nothing.